Smart Growth

What is Smart Growth?

Each and every community is different. What one community needs to become economically sustainable might be different than what another community may need. Often times we as Realtors® are asked about the shape and character of a community as folks consider purchasing a home or establishing a business in an area. Communities that are livable, healthy, vibrant, and diverse are often times selling points for potential customers. These types of communities don't just sprout up over night. They require planning and support from local government agencies and governing bodies as well as the local business development community in creating long term plans for what an area should look like in terms of growth.

Ideally, these plans help to eliminate urban sprawl and concentrate economic interests into development areas that allow residential markets, businesses, and local economies to thrive in tandem with one another. The following are resources from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), Maryland Association of Realtors® (MAR), and American Planning Association (APA) that further define Smart Growth and look at how Realtors® can play a vital role in the planning and land use development processes: